The cell phone video shows what was left of a desolate site on the Syrian side of the Iraqi border after U.S. airstrikes on Thursday. Two F-15 eagles he dropped seven 500-pound bombs, completely destroying nine buildings and damaging two. According to initial reports, one person died and three were injured.
“I recognize the importance of this operation, which is the first of its kind under the new administration,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
Kirby said Iranian-backed militias used the border post to introduce weapons into Iraq.
“These structures, again, we had information that gave us confidence in these structures, this place, this enclosure, because all the buildings were in the same enclosure, they were used by these groups to facilitate the movement of resources, material, weapons in the ‘Iraq to carry out the attacks,’ Kirby said.
Two weeks ago, according to U.S. officials, Iranian-made rockets were fired at an Iraqi base where U.S. troops are stationed. Thursday night’s strike was a message to Iran.
“This is a clear and unambiguous message to anyone in the region about what the bets are if you want to continue attacking our people,” Kirby said.
Defense officials say the strike was intended to be final, but that will depend on how Iran and its allies react.
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